Tag: mental illness

PT, Partial, and other things

by Midnight Demon, posted in blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

PT, Partial, and other things

I had partial today. I went to three groups. The last group dealt with gender identity and I really liked it. Nearly half the participants were trans. The others were either trans NB or non-binary. It was a good group of people. I tried to pay attention to the DBT skill willingfulness but I just couldn’t. It is too complicated. Too many rules. I have two more days of groups and then I am done. I don’t want to go back.

After group I had some time to kill before PT. I took some Zanaflex because I needed it. I should have taken pain meds but I didn’t need it at that time. I went to PT and my whole shoulder girdle is knotted up. From my neck to my shoulder is all tense and hard. Even now as I am speaking my neck is twitching with pain. I just put some diclofenac gel on it. It seems to have calmed it down some. I couldn’t believe how much it hurt trying to get the knots out. I have to work with a tennis ball on my deltoid and the muscle near my shoulder blade. I also need to apply heat twice a day.

I need to shower tomorrow. I haven’t showered in almost a week. I am being lazy so I am keeping my beard. I just need to hop in the shower but I have no drive to do so. I know why it is so hard. I don’t want to be in pain and taking a shower causes me pain. I am traumatized by my own body. I miss the days where I would shower until the water got cold.

The PT wants to do dry needling which is similar to acupuncture. She said that it can get uncomfortable and after she was just touching the pressure points today, I believe it will cause me some discomfort. I am going to read through the information she gave me so that I can be informed. Either way, I am going to hurt with this therapy. The knots aren’t going to undo themselves and I can’t stand being in this much pain.

I have psychotherapy tomorrow. I was looking forward to it but now I am dreading it. I hope that I can talk without being in too much pain tomorrow. My shoulder has been giving me some real grief after partial. I want to talk about being traumatized by my body. I don’t know if she will talk about it or not but I think it is important to bring up. I don’t want to have the conversation but I also need to shower. I also need to talk about the trauma my father put us through when I was in my teens. I know I have been over it a million times but the anniversary is coming up and I want to be ready.

the 330 am blog

by Midnight Demon, posted in blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

The 330 am blog

I’ve been up since 0130 because of pain. My right shoulder hurts and didn’t get better until I got up and started stretching it out a bit. I’ve been in a weird mood since waking up. I feel like I should be suicidal with the amount of pain that I am in but I am not. I don’t know if this is a good sign that I am getting better or what. I think the groups is helping me though I don’t know how because the skills I haven’t learned really. I know what they are but I haven’t worked on them. I have tried the DEAR MAN skill that my therapist wants me to but we had to go over it and then I dissociated afterwards so I don’t remember a thing about what we talked about. I didn’t even know if I had attended the session so I asked her if I did. She said I did. So weird.

I have one more week of groups and then I am done and I don’t think I will go back. It was too stressful. Plus my email kept deleting the emails that the clinicians were sending and I don’t know why that is. I got to make a rule so that it goes to my inbox and nowhere else.

My therapist wants me to send her screenshots of the handouts I am given during groups. I think she wants to make sure I am going and I find this irritating. I feel like she doesn’t trust me. The agreement was that I would text her and Then I would have a response to what I was texting. Thing is the past few days I haven’t had any responses to what I text her about. I feel like this is a one way street again.

I haven’t really participated in group that past few days. I listen but I have been getting bored. Even the group that I thought would be interesting was a flop. I didn’t like it at all. I have been going to the first three groups because those are the most important ones as they are mostly clinical. The first one is just a check in and the other two are either CBT or DBT groups. I find it interesting that they are using both therapies in the program. Both are useful, don’t get me wrong and they do work to their own extent.

I love the therapist that I have in the program. He is so energetic and empathetic and fun to work with. He is a really good guy and I love when he leads groups because he makes them fun instead of boring. He brings this energy that is positive and soothing. I love it. I am going to miss him when I leave. I feel like I should write him an email but I think I will wait as it is the weekend. I am surprised the hospital doesn’t recognize MLK day. It is this Monday and my therapist is off but the program is on. Very weird.

I have put back the weight I lost. I am disappointed in this because I was able to go below 200 and now I am a few pounds over. My struggle with weight is so finicky. It all depends on my appetite and if I eat regularly. Lately I have just been eating one meal a day because I usually full and don’t want to eat anything else for the day. This talking about eating is making me hungry. I think I am going to make scrambled eggs with cheese. I just hope we have the bread.

dissociation

by Midnight Demon, posted in blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

Dissociation

I dissociated last night and didn’t even realize it until later that night. I wasn’t there for therapy but I was. I showed up but I have no recollection of the meeting. It has been a long while since something like this has happened. I don’t know why. I have no idea if something triggered me into dissociation or what. I don’t feel like seeing her again. I feel like I am taking up too much of her time.

I am meeting with my neurosurgeon and psychiatrist today. Both are virtual thank god because my ankle is still flared up and I know I wouldn’t be able to walk from the train station to my neurosurgeon’s office. Thankfully my back is better today so I don’t have to tell him I fell unless he asks. I have no red flag symptoms so I think I am ok. I got to tell my psychiatrist about he shaking. I noticed my right leg will shake and supposedly my hands shake when I give my sister things. I don’t have a steady hand when I hold them out straight.

I went to three groups today and they were okay. I had my meeting with the therapist and we decided to go the rest of the two full weeks. Insurance will pay so I don’t have to worry about going four days this week. I just have to show up to three groups though so that is good. I am not sure what my schedule will be like next week as I will be going all five days. I have to ask about this.

I didn’t sleep well last night. I was up most of the night because of pain. My neck, ankle, and back were all conspiring against me. They still are. I am so miserable. I feel like I just want to die. I wanted to text my therapist this but I decided not to. I didn’t want to worry her. I just said that I was in a lot of pain and left it at that. I still can’t believe I dissociated last night. I remember bits and pieces of therapy but it feels like I wasn’t there.

My legs and knees are still hurting from the fall I took the other day. My knees are bruised as I landed on them. I am so sore. I have been taking Tylenol around the clock for the soreness. My neck muscles are killing me too. All from that one fall. My back seems to be okay and I don’t have any back problems. I do have a sore back but that is it. No other pain going down my legs or other radiating back problems.

The surgeon signed me off. I don’t need to see him again unless I have problems. I am glad. My psychiatrist agreed to increase the citalopram. He is only going up 10 mg and then see how I do. He wants to make sure the drug doesn’t mess with my heart rhythm. I’ve never had a problem with SSRIs so I don’t know what his deal is.

listening to Coldplay

by Midnight Demon, posted in blogging, Chronic pain, chronic physical pain, CRPS, depression, mood disorders

Listening to Coldplay

I decided to listen to something different so put on some old Coldplay. I am listening to rush of blood to the head. I love this album.

Yesterday I had therapy and we talked a lot. I was shocked that I was able to have a conversation at that hour. I had a cup of coffee before session so I think that helped wake me up. We talked about partial and how I wanted to continue with it but am not sure my insurance would approve. She said that it is very unlikely that the insurance would not approve of more time. I had a meeting with the therapist of the program and we talked about it. I thought she put in the paperwork for it but turns out she wanted to speak to me before she went ahead to do that. I haven’t heard back from her but it is still early in the day.

I feel like the last few times I have talked to my therapist I have been able to say what was on my mind which is a breakthrough of some sort. I know I wasn’t able to talk much on Monday and had a little shut down because I was overwhelmed with feelings. It still astonishes me that all I could say was “bah” and nothing more. It has been so hard to describe what has been going on recently. Things with my mother have been so difficult trying to take care of her while despising her. Her birthday is this weekend and I plan on signing the card “loving son.” I have to get the message across somehow. Not saying this will be an answer but maybe it will help with the misgendering and wrong pronouns.

I’m still in a lot of pain with my ankle and my back. This morning while having coffee I sneezed and pulled a muscle in my lower back. It is better now but still kind of sore. I am going to try and do a few things in my room today and see if I can do that. I want to put the sheets and blanket on my bed away. But I got to clean a spot for them. I plan to do that after I finish blogging.

Next week I have a lot of appointments. I am meeting with my neurosurgeon and GYN surgeon. Not on the same day but it is going to be a stressful week. I am also meeting with my psychiatrist. I am going to ask him for an increase in the citalopram. The Latuda experiment hasn’t worked to help my mood but has helped the voices, which is why I wanted to be put on it. I think an increase in citalopram might help the depression some. Won’t know until we try. I am on a low dose right now so have room to go up.

I need to take a shower today but I am not sure when. Probably after I finish putting away my laundry. I still have a bag of clothes to wash but I think I am going to keep them in there as I have no place to put them. I have to make an appointment with my eye doctor but I need to see a new one as I don’t like one I have. I think I am going to go to a different place, maybe in Harvard Square. I just got to see if they accept my insurance.